Tis the season...

Is it that time again?

Ontario's West Coast

Last weekend while we were visiting my parents, I was able to slip away for a couple hours and ride a lap of the Pinery. Saw maybe 6 people all day and nobody at the beach. The beauty of fall riding.

Willow Beach CX

Jody on the highest step of the podium.
Jody crossing it up at the Willow Beach races in Port Hope. Jody went on to win his category and also racing was Ian, who ended up with a solid top 10 result. OCA race report here and full results here.


Ian washing his bike after what could only have been another 2009 muddy Black Fly Racing experience.

Squeezer Pics

Denis
Marty
Ian
Stitt
Tony
Muller
Fox
Drew
Pete
Brenda

The Squeezer 2009

St. Catherines. A few of my battle wounds from a wet and slippery day. Story of 2009. Even though the weather today turned out to be pretty darn good with lots of sun, the damage was already done from the rain that hit the region last night. The trails were slippery, the roots and rocks were worse and the wooden bridges were downright dangerous. Take it easy and make up time on the road sections was my motto. I think we'll all remember this year for the shitty weather so here's hoping 2010 is dryer.

Check it out: The race made it onto cyclingnews.com

Black Fly Racing in Vegas!

Bootleg Canyon, Boulder City, Nevada.


Basically there was a gravel road up the middle of these 2 gigantic hills with singletrack carved into their sides. Very "flow-ee" but also very technical with extremely loose dirt and numerous boulders and rocks to pick through. Also, because there were over 4,000 people out riding you had to be alert to other riders coming up behind you and at you.


On the Norco Team Carbon. Brand new SRAM XX group. I think this bike was under 20lbs.


On our road ride testing out the new Dura Ace electric shifters on Orbea Orca full carbon roadies.

24hrs of Hot August Nights

Albion Hills. Even though the title says Hot August Nights, it would be more appropriate to call this event "Rather Wet & Cool August Overcast Days and Nights". This so-called summer has been one of the wettest I can remember and for a mountain bike race team like ours it makes for some very sketchy riding. Everything is different in the wet. Your control, cornering and braking skills all need to be re-dialed. Then you throw in some night laps where the whole Point and Shoot theory becomes Point and - oh shit, I'm heading straight for that tree! For sure I was dreading my night lap but, in the end you take it a bit easier and focus on 'git r done!'

Our campsite, #162 was pretty sweet for sure. We practically had the whole site tarped and tented (or vanned), with a microwave, tunes, flood lights, bike stand to make camp life a little easier. All in all I can't imagine doing this stuff, even when the weather turns crappy, with a better bunch of friends. Thanks Jackf?&%s!!!


Dean and Ian at the start of the 1st lap. I'm assuming the Hurricane is strategically drafting here.


Marty going down the switchback so fast you can barely tell it's him. But it is.


I'm gonna eat you McChico. Mmmmmmm.


Jon was a little muddy after his 1st lap.


Damn!


Relay exchange between the Wild Thang and the Hurricane.

For more pictures, click here.

Yeah Mon - Black Fly in Jamaica

Well, it seems as though Black Fly's have gone international this summer! Sandy and I just returned from a beautiful trip to Jamaica where "everyting was irie, mon". No singletrack, but there was a bit of doubletrack. No wait, those were the roads!! Anyway, I thought this would be a fun way to include a little piece of our team while on holiday.

24 hrs later...

Upon closer inspection it was revealed that the bike I had lined up for the 24hrs had a couple of cracks in the BB area. Don't worry, no panic. Maybe they were just hairline cracks in the paint... or are they in the carbon itself? Unfortunately, the latter. I guess it wasn't meant to be. Sniff, sniff.

Captain's 24hr Ride

Oooooooooooooooohhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hardwood 8hrs

Summer 8hrs

Hardwood Hills. Finally we got hit with crappy weather. After 5 years of near perfect weather during races, the sky opened up on us. It was overcast at the start but as the day continued, it drizzled and then at about 3pm, it poured! You can tell by the pics, how muddy it got. Just a bunch of boys playing in the mud! We had 9 Black Fly's up at Hardwood on two teams and both squads finished in the top-10 under less than ideal conditions. Hopefully we'll have to wait another 5 years for weather like this.


"King of the Mud" socks


A couple of muddy finishers!

Small towner in the big city!

Tonight's Don ride with Muller, Fox, Tony and Marty took us from downtown T.O. into the "Upper Don" up to Sunnybrook and back down through the "Lower Don". All told, about 30kms of riding and of that, 15-20 km's of dirt. All in the middle of 5 million people. We even bumped into Denis "Wild" Thang, who was out for a post-work training ride. Giver!

Country Riding

Huron County. I always look forward to a ride or two in the area where I grew up. Nothing but blue skies, quiet rolling roads and a few local cows to cheer you on. A bit different from the busy city but a nice change, for sure.

Today, it's even a Greater day!

Allow me to introduce Muller's new pleasure!!

Lake to Lake

Niagara. M-U-D-D-Y. Ya, that's what you get when it rains for 3 days leading up to a mountain bike race. Don't get me wrong, it was tons of fun out there - slipping and sliding, jumping through puddles, getting covered head to toe with wet, unknown mucky dirt. Tony even described the conditions as "icy". Not too far from the truth.

For our efforts we were all rewarded with a dip in the lake, a huge plate of BBQ goodness, a nap in the park and for some, a podium appearance. Not bad. Not bad at all.


Six very muddy and very happy finishers!


The Drewman with his derailleur-less ride.


Happy Father's Day!


2nd Place - 2 years in a row!

Today is a great day!

tWell, it's been a long time coming, but today's the day I got my new ride. I just thought I'd share some pictures of the "opening ceremony".

Cheers,
Ryan